I don't even know where to begin! This book grabbed my attention and kept me hooked the entire time. Gandolfini was larger than life and continues to enchant and intrigue us even in death. I like how this book really focused on Gandolfini the man and the different characters. I loved getting to hear what other actors thought about him when they worked together. I always found him to be enigmatic and someone I wanted to know more about, and this book gave me exactly what I wanted! Huge thank you to RBMedia for the advanced audio file of this book.

Wow, what a wonderfully comprehensive look at Gandolfini’s life! There are so many lovely things about this man that never got enough recognition during his life that I’m glad can come to light now. And the beautiful sensitivity towards his issues through the years feels honest but not exploitive.

The audiobook narrator, Edoardo Ballerini was fabulous. He was not only a great orator but really embodied the people he was speaking for. Many quotes were given such a familiar cadence of the actors they were attributed to without being a caricature or an impersonation. A fine line that he hit perfectly.

Really enjoyed this biography. I really was interested in hearing about his acting career and especially his time in the Sopranos. It did get a little dry at times, but I was able to get through those parts because the narrator was so great.

If you’ve ever been mesmerized by Tony Soprano—the volatility, the charisma, the strange tenderness—you’ll be fascinated by the man who brought him to life. Jason Bailey’s Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend offers a nuanced and emotional portrait of James Gandolfini, the actor whose layered performance helped put HBO—and prestige TV—on the map.

Bailey doesn’t shy away from complexity. Just like the character he portrayed, Gandolfini himself was full of contradictions. He was generous and deeply loyal, yet sometimes selfish and self-destructive. Haunted by insecurity and the fear of typecasting, he poured himself into his work—so much so that playing Tony took a real emotional toll.

Tony Soprano was a mob boss capable of brutal violence, yet also capable of moments of surprising vulnerability and self-reflection. It’s a testament to Gandolfini’s genius that we not only believed in this character, we rooted for him. That ability—to make a violent man beloved—speaks volumes about the skill and humanity Jim brought to the role.

This biography is a moving tribute to a singular talent we lost far too soon. Bailey captures both the man and the myth, offering fans a chance to appreciate the emotional weight Gandolfini carried in order to give us one of the most unforgettable characters in television history.

Bailey shares insights into Gandolfini’s rise from a working-class New Jersey kid to what I believe to be one of the most loved actors of his time.
The book shares a different perspective of Gandolfini as a person, while also following the timeline of his career.
If you’re a fan of The Sopranos or Gandolfini's, this book won't disappoint,